Vending-machine.



4 0 9 1 6w 1 G U A D E T N E T A R. ZIEBBLL.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11.19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES.-

No. 767,674. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

R. ZIEBELL.

' VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILEI) MAR. 19. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W/ TNESSES: IN VEN TOR UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

ROBERT ZIEBELL, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY NIEL- SON AND WILLIAM GRADY, OF OSHKOSH, I/VISCONSIN, AND AUGUST ZINN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISOONSIN.

VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,674, dated August 16, 1904.

Application filed March 19, 1904.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT ZIEBELL, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at the city of Oshkosh, in the county of WVinnebago and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and I0 useful improvements in vending-machines,

and particularly adapted to machines for vending collar-buttons in which different styles of buttons may be obtained, and has for its object the construction of a simple device and one that will have a neat outside appearance.

These objects I accomplish by means of mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the front view of the complete machine with a portion broken away to 'show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 shows a section through the compartment-wheels. Fig. 3 is a seg- 2 5 mental view of Fig. 2, showing the arrangement of the compartments and the ratchetteeth. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bell-crank lever which carries the operatingtrips. Fig. 5 shows the coin-chute and the coin-guiding plates. Fig. 6 shows a section through Fig. 5 and shows the position of a coin therein. Fig. 7 is another view of Fig. 6, showing the coin dropping out through the bottom of the guiding-plates.

Similar numerals represent similar parts throughout the views.

The numeral 1 represents the case or frame of the machine, which is made, preferably, of metal and of approximately the form shown,

4 the front and sides being of one piece, while the rear is closed with a cover and suitably locked, the upper portion being circular to receive revolving devices and has a hub in the center to support a shaft 5, while the lower part is formed for a support and to contain part of the operating mechanism.

2 and 2 show a pair of compartment-wheels (better shown in Figs. 2 and 3) which have the partitions 3 formed radially around the- Serial No. 199,041. (No model.)

periphery thereof and of a suitable number. These partitions are concentric with the center of the wheels and are fitted close in the case 1, so the wheels revolve freely, but still as close to the inner surface as possible. The compartments are closed with the flan'ge t on one side on each wheel, while the other side is left open. When the wheels are in place, the open side bears close to the walls of the case, which practically makes them closed. On the flange side of the wheels is arranged a series of V-shaped teeth 6 of equal number 5 to those of the compartments in the wheels and are preferably cast solid with the said wheel. These teeth form a ratchet-wheel. The compartment-wheels 2 and 2 are loosely mounted 6 5 on the shaft 5, as shown in Fig. 2, with their ratchet sides facing each other and are placed a suitable distance apart. Mounted loosely between these wheels is a bell-crank lever 7, which just fills the space between the hubs and having one end extending downward below the wheels 2 and 2 and the other end extending outward toward one side, as shown. The latter end is formed to receive the rod 8, which is pivoted thereto at 9 and extends upward through the 7 5 case and has a knob secured to the upper end. The case forms a guide for the upper end. The lower end of the bell-crank lever is formed to receive a pin 10, which is secured therein and is long enough to extend outward on each side a suitable distance to receive the peculiarshaped trips 11 and 11'. These are loosely mounted on the said pin and capable of oscillating thereon. The pawl end 12 is made heavier than the tail end 13, so it will mov- 5 ably tend to tip downward. It will be seen in the drawings that the trips are arranged directly under the teeth or ratchet portion of the wheels 2 and 2 and also so arranged that they are capable of engaging or disengaging with the said teeth or ratchet. The tail ends of the trip 13 is provided with stepped notches,

as shown, for'the purpose of causing a ratchet action when the trips are operated. Arranged above the tail end 13 is the coin-slots 14 and 14: of different sizes to receive exactly a certain-sized coin. The chute 15 carries the coin down into a guiding-pocket, which keeps 12 to engage a notch in 6.

the coin in a position on its edge. The coin rests upon the tail end of one of the trips, as shown in Fig. 6, and the weight of it causes the rear of the trip to lower and the front end 12 to rise and engage a tooth in the ratchet part of one of the wheels 2 or 2. WVhen the trip travels forward. the coin descends the stepped notches owing to its being held by the guiding-sides 16 and locks the travel of the trip in one direction, so it will not move back until the end of the stroke is reached, when the coin will drop past the end and allow the trip to move back. A spring 17 is secured to the lever 7 to normally hold it at one end of its stroke and to pull it back should it be moved. A stop 18 is provided and properly placed so the spring 17 will hold the lever against it and in the proper place for the trip Another stop 19 is placed in the case to keep the tail end 13 of the trip from rising higher than necessary.

In Fig. 1 a coin is shown at 20 resting upon the tail end of the trip, while the other end is up in a notch in the ratchet, while the downward stroke of the rod 8 is limited by the knob on top meeting the case of the machine,thereby giving the bell-crank lever and trips a definite stroke or travel. The trips when in their normal position without a coin resting on their stepped end are resting against the stop 19, and the lever may be moved back and forth without having the trips engaged in the ratchet.

The circular portion of the case 1 is continued all the way around and provided with an opening for the lower end of the lever 7 and the upper ends of the trips; but the compartments or pockets in the wheels 2 and 2 are covered everywhere excepting a small opening in the bottom of the same size as one of the compartments. This opening is directly over a trough or spout 21, which leads downward and toward the front of the machine into a pocket or receptacle on the outside. A flat spring 22 of suitable form is secured to the case in a convenient manner and extends up and operates against the ratchetteeth 6, as shown in Fig. 1, the purpose of which is to hold the wheels in a particular position at each stroke and to keep them from traveling beyond the desired point. As the spring is in one of the notches, a corresponding compartment in the wheels 2 and 2 is directly over the opening onto the spout or chute 21. One spout or chute only is provided for both wheels, and the contents of either or both wheels may be dropped into it. Directly under the coin-slots 14 and 14 and the guidingchutes 16 is arranged a coin-receiver, which is composed of a flat trap-door, (not shown,) which may be tipped from the key 23 on the outside of the case. A box or receptacle may be placed under the trap-door to receive the contents when the door is tipped over. A glass is secured to the case directly in front of the trap-door for the purpose of presenting a view to the top of the said door at all times. The outside of the case may be arranged in any artistic manner, but preferably of the form shown in Fig. 1, which has a segmentalshaped opening at the top, which is fitted with glass, in which directions or advertising matter may be inserted. Lower down and on each side are two small openings, also provided with glass, which are for the purpose of exhibiting the style of articles contained in the compartment-wheels. In this case two different styles of collar-buttons on cards are shown which have different prices, the latter being marked on each.

Having described the construction of the machine, the operation is as follows: As the machine is particularly adapted to the vending of collar-buttons, it will be described similarly. The compartments or pockets in both wheels are filled through small doors in front and back, (not shown, as the front one will be. about where the case is broken away in the drawings,) one button being placed in each compartment of one wheel and a sample of these placed in the corresponding exhibitingopening and the price marked thereon. The other wheel is filled in the same manner and a sample of its style placed in the other exhibiting-opening and its price marked. The buttons are shown in their compartments in Fig. 1, where a portion is broken away on one side. WVhen it is desired to purchase a button, a coin is placed in the slot corresponding to the style of button desired and the knob on top pressed downward, the result being that one of the compartment-wheels is moved and the contents of the new compartment is deposited in the chute 21, when it slides down into the receptacle 24 on the outside of the case. When the coin is placed in one of the slots 14 or 14: it immediately drops down between the guides 16 and rests on the notched portion of one of the trips 11 or 11, the weight of the coin being suflicient to cause the trip to tip up at the end 12 into one of the notches of the ratchetwheel. When the lever 7 is operated, the wheel is turned one notch and the next compartment coincides with the opening in the chute 21, when the contents must drop out. The spring 22 immediately drops into the next ratchet' notch and holds the compartment-wheel in its proper position over the chute 21 after the trip moves forward and the coin has slipped down the stepped part thereof and drops past the end of the trip onto the trap-door below, and by tipping the door by means of the key 23 the coin is dropped into a receiver below. It will be seen that after the lever and trips have been started on their stroke they cannot be moved back until the end is reached. It will also be seen that both slots may be played at the same time, when both will deliver buttons into the receptacle 24, or if no coins are placed in the slots the lever 7 may be operated,

but will not operate on the compartmentwheels, as the tops 12 of the trips will move past the ratchet-notches without engaging them, as the end 12 of the trips being heavier than the other end will cause them to remain against the stop 19, and therefore miss the ratchet teeth 6, so the coin or something equivalent thereto in size and weight is necessary to operate the machine.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vending-machine the combination with revoluble wheels having a series of compartments arranged radially on the peripheries thereof, of flanges adapted to cover one side of the compartment, a series of V-shaped teeth secured to the outside of the said flanges and having an equal number to the number of compartments, a bell-crank lever mounted axially with the said compartment-wheels and having a pin secured to its lower end, a pair of trips loosely mounted on the said pin, and having one end adapted to engage the said V- shaped teeth, coin-chutes arranged above the stepped notched portion of the trips, means for holding coins upon edge upon the stepped portion of the said trips, and means for normall y holding the trips out of engagement with the V-shaped teeth and means for supporting the said wheels and bell-crank lever substantially as described.

2. In a button-vending machine the combination with a case 1, of a shaft 5 secured therein, compartment-wheels mounted on the said shaft and having a series of compartments and a series of V-shaped teeth of equal number, and a bell-crank lever '7 havinga pair of trips loosely mounted on its lower end and having one of their ends adapted to engage the V- shaped teeth, and the other ends formed into a series of stepped notches, coin-chutes arranged above the said stepped notches, and a coin-receiving compartment arranged under the stepped notched portion of the trips substantially as shown and described.

3. In a button-vending machine the combination with a case of suitable form, ofa shaft rigidly secured therein, of a pair of compartment-wheels 2 and 2 having one side of the compartments closed with the flange 4, and having the ratchet-teeth secured thereto and loosely mounted on the said shaft and separated from each other, a bell-crank lever 7 having the spring 17 attached thereto and loosely mounted on and between the said compartment-wheels and having the pin 10 secured to one end thereof, a pair of trips loosely mounted on the said pin 10 and having one end adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth, and having the other end formed with notches, the said notched end being of less weight than the engaging end, a coin-chute, coin-guiding plates adapted to'hold the coin upon its edge on the said notched end of the trips, a coin-receiver directly under the said coin-guiding plates, and means for operating the bell-crank lever 7 substantially as described.

ROBERT ZIEBELL.

In presence of A. W. KIRs'r,- JAMEs KANE. 

